With a commanding 10-wicket win over Nepal on Monday, India advanced to the Asia Cup 2023 Super 4s with to undefeated half-centuries from Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill.
India advanced to the Asia Cup 2023
With Aasif and Kami leading the charge with the bat in their must-win Asia Cup 2023 match, Nepal might reach 230 on the board.
Nepal’s innings got off to a flying start as openers Kushal Bhurtel and Aasif overpowered the Indian bowlers on their way to a stunning 65-run partnership.
The pair received multiple lifelines as a result of the previous champs’ shoddy fielding, which saw three catches dropped in the first five overs.
First 5 Overs
Aasif and Kami had moved Nepal above the 60-run mark in the 10th over, but Shardul Thakur struck back to provide his team with a much-needed breakthrough, catching Bhurtel behind.
Bhurtel scored 38 from 25 deliveries, hitting three boundaries and two sixes. Following his dismissal, Nepal proceeded to lose wickets at a rapid pace, falling to 101/4 in the 22nd over.
Aasif batted cautiously despite losing partners at the other end until joining Gulshan Jha for a brief anchoring knock.
Nepal’s top-scorer
Before Aasif departed in the 30th over, the partnership had put up 31 runs for the fifth wicket.
With a 97-ball 58 that included eight boundaries, he remained Nepal’s top-scorer in their must-win Asia Cup 2023 game.
In the 34th over, Gulshan Jha quickly followed Aasif back to the dugout, leaving Nepal reeling at 144/6 in the 32nd over. With three boundaries, he scored 23 runs in 35 deliveries.
Following the slump, Dipendra Singh Airee and Sompal Kami put up an incredible seventh-wicket stand that added 50 runs to the total before Hardik Pandya broke the stand by catching the former in the 42nd over.
Mohammed Shami’s Catch
Airee scored 29 points on 25 attempts, scoring three field goals.
Kami then embarked on a one-sided 34-run partnership with Sandeep Lamichhane before being caught behind by Mohammed Shami, sparking a collapse.
Sompal Kami hit 48 from 56 deliveries, laced with a boundary and two sixes, falling just two runs short of his third ODI half-century.
Nepal could subsequently add two more runs to their total at the expense of their remaining two wickets, finishing with 230 in their crucial Asia Cup 2023 match.
With three wickets each, Mohammed Siraj and Ravindra Jadeja led India’s bowling assault, while Shardul Thakur, Shami, and Pandya each took one.
To read our blog on “Asia Cup 2023 5th match between India XI vs Nepal XI,” click here
